Clamp for vehicle leaf springs



Dec. 15, 1925. 1,565,856

A. F. KAPTULLER CLAMP FOR VEHICLE LEAF SPRINGS Filed July 8. 192g Patented Dec. l5, 1925. i

UNITED STATES LEitSSti ALEXANDER F. KAPTULLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLAMP FOR VEHICLE LEAF SPRINGS.

Application led July 8,

To all whom z' may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER F. Knr- TULLER, formerly a subject of the Emperor of Germany, now a citizen of Germany, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamps for Vehicle Leaf Springs, of which the followin is a specification.

y invention relates to clamps for vehicle leaf springs.

It frequently happens that the loads placed upon the suspension springs of a vehicle, or the shocks or strains to which the spring is subjected when in use, will cause one or more of the leaves to fracture; usually the longest or master leaf of the spring is the first to fracture. Accidents of this character frequently occur` on cross-country trips or at places, where immediate assistance is not readily obtainable. j

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a clamp of simple and durable construction which may be carried as a part of the equipment of a vehicle and readily applied to a spring having one or more fractured leaves and which will hold the leaves of the spring in normal relationship until the s ring can be replaced, or repaired by substituting good leaves for the broken ones.

The invention contemplates a base adapted to be positioned against the face of one of the outer leaves 0f the spring; and a further object of my invention is the provision of a plurality of members associated with the base in such a manner that they may be brought Vinto binding engagement with the opposite' edges of one ofthe leaves of the spring, means being provided to secure the members in such engagement, whereby longitudinal movement of the spring relative to the clamp is effectively prevented.

The base member is preferably positioned substantially medially with respect to the fracture in the spring; and a more specific object of my invention is the provision of transversely extending bolts associated with the respective ends of thebase, shoes being carried on the extremities of each of the bolts so that, when the nuts on the bolts are tightened, the shoes will be drawnA into binding engagement with the opposite edges of one of the leaves ofthe spring.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a base member constructed according to any of the preceding statements 1922. Serial No. 573,617.

and provided with a perforated lug extended laterally from each side thereof in combination with a U-shaped clamping bolt adapted to pass around the spring so that its cxtren'n- 60 ties may project through the respective perforated lugs of the base member whereby the leaves of the spring may be eectively clamped together and the base member of the clamp effectively held against the face of o5 one of the outer leaves of the spring.

The invention consists in the novel constructions, arrangements and devices to be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects and such other objects as will appear from the follow ing description of a certain preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a fragmentary 75 portion of a vehicle leaf spring with a clamp embodying the principles of my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional .view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. il is a side elevational view of one of the shoes adapted to bear against the edge of one of the spring leaves; and

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the shoe.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawao ings, the clamp is shown as applied to a ve hicle leaf spring of ordinary construction and comprising a master leaf 7 and a plurality of additional leaves 8-8. j

The base member 9 of the clamp is shown 95 as positioned against the outer face of the master leaf 7. This base member may be of any desired construction but is preferably made with longitudinally extending stiifening ribs 10 and enlarged portions 11 100 which extend transversely of the base member adjacent its ends, each portion being provided with a bore 12 for the insertion of a threaded stud or bolt 13. The width of the base member at its ends adjacent the V bores 12 is somewhat less than the width Vof the leaves of the spring for which the Figs. 4 and 5, Which are adapted to be brought into elfective binding engagement with the opposite edges of the master leaf 7, the surfaces 1G preferably bein` knurled or corrugated to more effectively bite into the edges of the leaf. Nuts 17 are threaded on the extremities of the bolts 13, and a loch washer 1S is preferabljrv interposed between the respective shoes 1l and nuts 1T to prevent the, nuts li' from Working; loose. lt will he obvious upon tightening the nuts 1l', that the shoes ll Vwill be forced into effective holding` ene'aeement with the opposite edges of the mas e" leaf. The perforations 15 of the resiV eetivc shoes l-lare prelerabliY made somewhat larev in diameter than the bolts 13, and since the shoes ina)y move independently of the base member. they mayY read-.ilyv adjust there' lves to talee care of anyv ineqialir' s in th of the spring leaf or am,v

nnevenness in the edges of the rear that may be present due to imperfections in manufacture.

ln applying); the clamp to the si ring, the, base-member is prete 'ably positioned on the spring' so that the fracture i' in the leaf will be snl'istantiallv inediallj; 'with respect to the clainp. YWhen the nuts li" are tightened, the shoes 1l are forced into binding` engagement vvith the edges of the brok-en leaf and the clamp effectively holds two parts the broken lentl in' normal relation to the other leaves of the spring', longitudinal movement of one part of the broken leaf relative to the other part being' eneetivelj; prevented.

The base member is pr ferabljr provided with perforated lugs 19 etendingg' laterallyv from its respective sides, the perforatimis being; adanted to receive the extremities of a l'l-shafoed clamping bolt 20. rlhe clamping' bolt 2() is adapted to be passed around the several le;1 of the spring, and after its legs are n through the perforations in the lugs i9, nuts 21 are threaded thereonto therebvv effectively.v holdingv the hase member against the face of the leaf 4' and also holding); the other leaves of the spring 'ri .nljv together. Loek washers 22 may be i on the lees of the bolt 20, being interposed between the lugs 1l) and the nut-s vent the nuts from Working loose.

l do not intend to limit in v invention to the details of constructions. arrangements tire thi-cadet `means, and clan'ipingr nnts on said threat, means oerel.` id shoes zoe." bc brought Ento binding' enl :rement with the opposite edf-:es of ene of .fla-id leaves, for the purpose spr eiiied.

o. clamp for vehicle leaf springs couiprisingg a base adapted to he positioiwd against the face of one of the outer leaves .fr-tt' the spring', a bolt transversely associated with said base. and shoes carried on the re- "nective ends et said bolt, whereby npon htenii e the mit on said holt said shoes ,Y brou'ht into binding' engl-agement with opposite edges of one of said leaves, for t a pin-pose specified 4. A 'clamp for ternporaril7 repairing a fractured leaf of a vehicle leaf spring coinprising a base adapted to be positioned against the face of one of the outer leaves of the spring' and substantially medially relative to the fracture, bolts transversely associated with the respective ends of said hase, and shoes carried on the respective ends of said bolts, whereby.' npon tightening; the nvts on said belt-s aid shoes are bronant into binding' engagement with the opposite edges of one of said leaves, for the purpose specified.

5. A clamp for vehicle leaf springs ycoinprisine` a base adapted to be positioned against the face of one of thc outer leaves of the spring, means surroundine` the spring and connected with said base for holding' said base against said outer leaf, self-positioningy members associated with the respective sides of said base and adapted to bear against the opposite edges of one of said leaves, and means to secure said members in binding' engagement with said last-named leaf.

(i. .d clamp for vehicle leaf springs com- [nising` a base adapted to be positioned against the face et one ol" the outer leaves of the spring' and having a perforated lner extending' laterallyv from each side thereof, a t'l-shaped clamping` holt adapted to pass around the spring With the respective legs thereof passing through the perforations in said lugs, said base having threaded means extending` transversely7 from each side thereof, Shoes adapted to slip over said respective threaded means, and clamping nuts on said threaded means whereby said shoes-may be brought into binding `engagement With the opposite edges of neof said leaves, `for the purpose specified.

7. A clamp for vehicle leaf springs comprising a basel adapted to be positioned against the face of one ofthe outer leaves of the spring and having a perforated lug extending laterally from each side thereof, a U-shaped clamping bolt adapted to pass around the spring with the respective legs thereof passing through the perforations in said lugs, a bolt transversely associated with saidl base, and shoes carried on the respective ends of said bolt, whereby upon tightening the nut on said bolt said shoes are brought into binding engagement with the opposite edges of one of said leaves, lfor the purpose specified.

8. A clamp fortemporarily repairing a fractured 'leaf of a vehicle leaf spring comprising a base adapted to be positioned against the face of one of the outer leaves of the spring and substantially medially relative to the fracture, said base having a perforated lug extending laterally from each side thereof, a U-shaped clamping bolt adapted to pass around the spring with the respective legs thereof passing through the perfor-ations in said lugs, bolts transversely associated with the respective ends of said base, and shoes carried on the respective ends of said bolts, whereby upon tightening the nuts on said bolts said shoes are brought into binding engagement with the opposite edges of one of said leaves, for the purpose specified.

9. In a spring repairing device, clamping elements adapted to embrace the edges of a leaf of a spring bridging a fracture of the spring, a plate adapted to bridge the said fracture and having engagementV with the clamping elements whereby the plate is held in assembled relation to the clamping mem bers, and means for drawing the said clamping members into engagement with the edges of the said spring.

10. In a spring. repairing or reinforcing device, the combination of a plate, clamping elements independent of but adapted to be positioned at each side edge of the plate, and means for drawing the clamping elements into engagement with the edges of a spring, said plate and means being cooperatively arranged to prevent slippage of the clamping elements with respect to the plate.

l1. In a spring repairing or reinforcing device,kthe combination of a plate, spaced clamping elements independent of but adapted to be positioned at each side edge of the plate, means carried by the plate for drawing the clamping elements into engagement with the edges of a spring, and means at the respective sides of the plate and between the clamping elements on the respective sides of the plate for holding against the plate that part of the spring which lies between said clamping elements.

12. In a spring repairing or reinforcing device, the combination of a plate, two spaced transversely extending bolts carried by the plate, clamping elements at each side edge of the plate on said respective bolts whereby said clamping elements may be drawn into engagement with the edges of a spring, and means at the respective sides of the plate and between the clamping elements on the respective sides of the plate for holding against the plate that part of the spring which lies between said clamping elements.

ALEXANDER F. KAPTULLER. 

